Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-02-03
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Atnr Of R0ses-Frce!
The eccentricities OF the American
tariff are so glaring that no fair man
can examine it without being amazed
1t lis incongruities. The attitude OF
the r epublican party upon this great
issue is equally astonishing. faving
adopted "the tariff as it is' for its
party cry, and taken the false posi-
ton that any change in the tariff is a
blow ut American labor, the Repub-
licans have continued to perpetuate
great wrongs by policy that Is based
On demagogy of the worst character.
They will not permit any calm consid-
sration Of the question, but meet reas-
on With clamor, and answer just COM
plant of the most outrageous discrim-
ination and violation of the true prin-
ciples OF political economy with bum
combe. If a plain man says there is
no sense in admitting altar of roses
free and placing duty of lS0 per
cent. on castor oil, he is told that he
ID an enemy of American labor. 1t
il to no purpose that you may point
out the fact that this 1S0 per cent.
must be paid by the masses who con-
sumo the oil, and that the altar OF
roses is a costly luxury used only by
those who could we'll bear the impost.
When you tell them that India shawls,
only used by the rich, are admitted
at about 401s per cent. ad valorem,
while common woolen shawls, worn
BY the poor, are scheduled at Sc per
cent, they meet you with the declar-
alton that this is discrimination in
favor of home industry. They do not
think it necessary to enlighten you as
10 the bepefit that accrues to the
common people who have to pay two
prices for their shawls whilst the rich
are let off with a stipend upon
their fine India stuffs. We might
70 on for columns and cite
similar eccentricities in the tariff, but
in the end every statement and argu.
ment against its absurdities and in
iquities would be sighted off with the
same ad captandum answer. 1t is of
NO use to appeal to these gentry with
facts and figures. They have made
party capital of the tariff policy, and
are determined to use it as their fan
ciest stock in trade as long as they
can make voters believe that it is a
sound doctrine OF political economy
to rob the hewers of wood and draw
ers of water SO as to swell the already
plethoric pockets OF the few who are
enriched by it. The Democratic
party insists on revision of the
tariff and SO adjusting the duties,
as to protect home industries that
need protection but not to continue
the outrageous determinations that
are now met with on every page of
the tariff schedule. Wherever the
tariff sets figure upon an imported
article point above the mark that
viii insure protection, and protection
only, 10 the home manufacture, all
above that figure is robbery OF the
consumer. The competitive point at
shich the tariff should figure is only
TO be ascertained by careful investi-
gation. But that is the very thing
the Republicans will not permit.
Hence the masses are yearly robbed
of millions which go to give
inordinate profits to industries
that would flourish without pro-
lection. The government act
ally grants subsidy to manufactur-
ers out of the consumers pockets
when it places higher tariff on an
article than would serve to exclude
that article from competition with
The cost of its production in the
United States. The Democratic doc
trine is the true doctrine of equal
rights in a protection as we'll as in all
other privileges derived from the
How long the country
will stand a tariff which is constantly
making the rich richer and the poor
poorer, it is difficult to say. But one
hing is certain, it will have but a
very short lease of life whenever the
great mass of the people come to
realize that by its pernicious opera
lion it is rapidly building up an aris-
'scracy Of wealth, which threatens 6
= n distant day to undermine our 8
lnsfitufions and overshadow the (
dsstinies Of the Republic. 1t is
within the line Of demonstration to
shoW that for the t2oo, ,ooo, 900 Of Gus